The Progress of Education Reform addresses the hottest
education issue and provides information in a concise and easy-to-read
format based on the most recent studies and reports.

ECS regularly issues useful compilations, summaries and/or comparisons of state policies—enacted or pending—on a wide variety of education topics, listed on the right. For a list of our most current documents, please see our What's New page.

Please use the links below to download PDFs that include all the documents for a given year.

If you'd like to order a print copy, contact the ECS Distribution Center
at 303.299.3692 or jivey@ecs.org.

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(Note: Not all topics have an ECS document associated with them. If you are looking for information on a specific topic, you can use our search function.)

High School

GED, HiSET and TASC: A comparison of high school equivalency assessments - This trends report provides a comparison of the GED and two alternative assessments, HiSET and TASC, along with aspects of testing programs states have weighed when deciding which high school equivalency exam to offer and the decision-making process states have used to select one or more alternatives to the GED. (Jennifer Zinth, ECS, July 2015)...

The Civics Education Initiative of 2015 - Ensuring all students are taught basic civics and learn to be ready for active, engaged citizenship is a goal that both sides of the aisle can agree upon. The means to that goal is hotly debated. This education trends report takes a look at the action from around the country. (Maria Millard, ECS, June 2015)...

State approaches to funding dual enrollment - All or most of the cost of dual enrollment courses generally falls on the shoulders of students and parents, often placing the classes out of financial reach. However, policymakers in several states are working to minimize or completely eliminate tuition and other costs for dually enrolled students. (Jennifer Zinth, Education Commission of the States, May 2015)...

Computer science in high school graduation requirements - This ECS Education Trends report identifies states that are integrating computer science into high school graduation requirements by allowing or requiring districts to apply computer science coursework toward completion of high school graduation requirements in math, science or foreign language. (Jennifer Zinth, ECS, April 2015)...

Using assessments to inform 12th grade interventions and accelerations - This ECS Education Policy Analysis delves into statewide high school college and career readiness assessments and how states are using them to overcome two persistent challenges – the "wasted senior year" and high postsecondary remediation rates. (Jennifer Zinth and Maria Millard, ECS, March 2015)...

Dual enrollment database overview: 2015 update - In 2014, dual enrollment statutes or regulations were amended in nearly two dozen states. Many of these policy changes fall into six categories that are outlined in the report. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, ECS, February 2015)...

Multiple measures for college readiness - This ECS Education Trends report reviews the multiple measures to assess a student's college readiness, provides a deeper look at competency-based assessments and offers policy considerations for state and system leaders. (Lexi Anderson and Mary Fulton, ECS, February 2015)...

Dual Enrollment Course Content and Instructor Quality - This report explores some of the reasons for the increase in delivery of dual enrollment courses at high schools, and the importance of ensuring course and instructor quality. The report then examines four distinct state approaches to ensuring dual enrollment course and instructor quality, noting the potential benefits and tradeoffs of each. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, ECS, February 2015)...

Strengthening Student Transitions - State policies aimed at advancing transitions from K-12 to postsecondary are the focus of this brief. State-specific examples are provided and seven strategies, grounded in policy analysis and research, have been identified as options to increase the likelihood of successful transitions from K-12 to postsecondary education. (ECS, December 2014)...

The Progress of Education Reform: College counseling in high schools -- Advising state policy - This issue of The Progress of Education Reform explores current state approaches to college advising that may not provide the hoped-for gains in college-going, recent research on approaches correlated with increased postsecondary enrollment, including approaches with traditionally underrepresented students and promising state approaches to triage counselors’ efforts with other means to provide college counseling. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, ECS, December 2014)...

Blueprint for College Readiness: a 50-State Policy Analysis (Report) - The Blueprint features a first-of-its-kind analysis of the top 10 critical K-12 and higher education policies promoting college readiness and success. Designed to serve as a framework to help K-12 and higher education leaders conceptualize the key policies promoting college readiness, the Blueprint also shows the extent to which each state is pursuing them with a data portal.
(Emmy Glancy, Mary Fulton, Lexi Anderson, Jennifer Dounay Zinth and Maria Millard, ECS, October 2014)
...

Dual Enrollment: A Strategy to Improve College-Going and College Completion among Rural Students - Research shows that students who participate in dual enrollment are more likely than their peers to finish high school, enter college and complete a degree. This means dual enrollment can greatly benefit students in rural areas, which report lower college-going and postsecondary attainment rates than other locales. However, rural areas face unique challenges in providing high-quality dual enrollment programs. This report discusses how states are rising to these challenges. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, ECS, June 2014)...

CTE Dual Enrollment: A Strategy for College Completion and Workforce Investment PDF - Dual enrollment programs are expanding -- and so are dual enrollment programs with a career and technical education (CTE) focus. The most recent data available from the National Center on Education Statistics show that 82 percent of high schools had students enrolling in dual enrollment coursework in 2010-11. Research makes it clear that CTE dual enrollment courses improve outcomes for traditionally underserved students. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, ECS, March 2014)...

State-Level Policy Landscape and Policy Developments PDF - These PowerPoint slides, presented as part of an American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) webinar Dual Enrollment: Latest Research and Policy Development, sets forth four broad policy areas states must address to ensure program quality and access, as well as 13 key policy elements under those four areas. The presentation also identifies current trends in state dual enrollment policymaking, and drivers for recent state policy activity. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, ECS, June 2012)...

Defining College Readiness: Where Are We Now? Where Do We Go from Here? - This PowerPoint, presented at ECS’ 2012 National Forum on Education Policy, identifies the (1) Benefits and challenges of existing state college-readiness definitions, (2) Key elements of any state’s college-readiness definition, (3) Other approaches states may consider using (and critical policy components), and (4) Importance of linking college counseling and college completion to college-readiness definitions and efforts. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, Education Commission of the States, July 2012)...

50-State Mathematics Requirements for the Standard High School Diploma PDF - Math graduation requirements: This report specifies the high school graduation requirements in math in the 50 states. It notes two growing trends in state-set math graduation requirements – the ever-larger number of states requiring four units of math to graduate, and the small but growing number of states specifying that a math course must be taken each year of high school or in the student's senior year. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, Education Commission of the States, March 2012)...

End-of-Course Exams PDF - This report identifies the states with current or pending state-level end-of-course assessment (EOC) programs, the subjects in which EOCs are administered in the states, and the EOCs (if any) students must pass to graduate from high school. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, Education Commission of the States, March 2012)...

The Progress of Education Reform: Defining College Readiness PDF - This issue of The Progress of Education Reform considers potential ways states might define “college readiness,” identifying for each approach potential benefits, potential drawbacks and key components to consider. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, Education Commission of the States, March 2012)...

12 for 2012 - 12 for 2012 is an ECS “read of the field,” built on our scrutiny of new reports and research, and our analysis of emerging drivers of change. The 12 policy areas do not represent an exhaustive list of the critical issues for the coming year, nor is this report intended to dictate your education policy priorities for 2012. Rather, 12 for 2012 is intended to stimulate thinking around how best to craft the “2.0” of powerful policy across the states. (ECS, 2012)...

Helping Students Get a Head Start on the "Real World": State Strategies for Early High School Graduation MS Word PDF - This ECS Policy Brief considers several policy approaches to facilitate (or incentivize) early graduation and provides caveats and essential policy components for these various approaches: (1) Proficiency-based credit;
(2) Virtual high schools; (3) Completion of high school-level material before grade 9; (4)"Dual enrollment plus": Programs that allow students who may have completed high school graduation requirements early to enroll full-time in postsecondary or career/technical courses; and (5) Scholarship incentives for early graduation. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, Education Commission of the States, May 2010)...

The Progress of Education Reform: End-of-Course Exams PDF - In recent years, criticism of high school graduates’ lack of readiness for college and work has led a number of states to raise high school graduation requirements — particularly in terms of the number and rigor of courses students must pass. This issue of The Progress of Education Reform addresses end-of-course assessments at the high school level. (Jennifer Dounay Zinth, Education Commission of the States, April 2010)...

Progress and Gaps in College Preparation Policy PDF - Stagnant college completion rates, high postsecondary remediation rates—and the high costs associated with postsecondary remediation—make clear that better alignment is needed between K-12 and postsecondary. This ECS Perspective sets forth four policy levers necessary for true reform to take place, and evaluates state progress to date in each of the four areas. (Michael W. Kirst, Stanford University, October 2009)...

State Approaches to Improving High School Outcomes: A National Perspective - On October 6, ECS Senior Policy Analyst Jennifer Dounay Zinth presented to Oklahoma's Legislative Task Force on Achieving Classroom Excellence, created by 2009 S.B. 1168.
Dounay Zinth's presentation raises the need for states to focus greater policy attention on the middle grades, and provides information about national trends in high school assessments, including: end-of-course and exit exams, substitute assessments for students who do not pass exit exams and administration of the ACT to all 11th graders.(Jennifer Dounay Zinth, Education Commission of the States, October 2009)...

P-16/P-20 Councils - P-16 councils were first established in the 1990s to convene state leaders representing early learning (the "P") through the first four years of college (the "16"). This ECS database provides information on existing P-16/P-20 Councils in the states. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, May 2008)...

Career/Technical Education - This database provides 50-state information on numerous state policies with implications for student access to and quality of high school career/technical education programs. (Melodye Bush, Education Commission of the States, August 2008)...

Early/Middle College High Schools - Early college high schools and middle college high schools are typically geared toward serving low-income, minority, and at-risk youth. Early college high schools can be located in a school-within-a-school, two- or four-year college campus, or third-party location, and allow students, five years after high school entry, to complete a high school diploma along with an associate’s degree, technical certification, or enough credits to enter a four-year institution as a junior. Middle colleges are usually situated on a college campus and allow students to concurrently earn high school and college credit in a specialized, supportive environment. This database provides information on the small number of states that, in lieu of having early and middle college high schools apply for waivers from state policies to address their specific program structures, have adopted comprehensive policies specifically tailored to the unique needs of such programs. (Jennifer Dounay and Michael Griffith, Education Commission of the States, July 2008)...

High School-Level STEM Initiatives - This database provides information on a variety of state efforts intended to increase student interest and achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in grades 9-12. (Kyle Zinth, Education Commission of the States, June 2008)...

International Baccalaureate Database - The International Baccalaureate (IB) program offers highly motivated students the opportunity to complete a cohesive, challenging curriculum aligned with international standards. This 50-state database, focused on the IB Diploma Program for 11th and 12th graders, provides information on numerous state policies related to program quality and access. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, August 2007)...

Postsecondary Feedback Systems - This database provides information about the data systems in more than 20 states that provide districts and high schools with information about how their graduates have fared after entering postsecondary education in the state. (Michael Colasanti, Education Commission of the States, June 2008)...

State Initiatives to Improve High Schools - This database provides information on a variety of state-level efforts, including: (1) States that subsidize testing fees for the ACT, SAT, PLAN, PSAT, etc.; (2) State initiatives to improve the senior year and 9th grade year; (3) Outreach efforts to ensure students are well-prepared to finish high school and apply for college admission and financial aid; (4) Initiatives that require students to create long-term plans (i.e., 5-year plan, declaration of major, etc.); and (5) States that authorize or require the use of e-transcripts. (Michael Colasanti, Education Commission of the States, July 2008)...

Student Support and Remediation - This database provides 50-state information on high school-level remediation policies, and on alternative approaches to allow at-risk students and returning dropouts earn a high school diploma. (Kyle Zinth and Melodye Bush, Education Commission of the States, June 2007)...

ECS High School Resources and Services MS Word PDF - This two-page document describes the variety of resources and services ECS offers to answer state leaders' questions about high school, transitions to postsecondary, and P-16/P-20 alignment. (Education Commission of the States, July 2009)...

Strategies to Empower Low-Income and Minority Students in Gaining Admission to and Paying for College PDF - This policy brief identifies barriers created by federal, state and local policies that pose a particular challenge for aspiring first-generation college students in the college and financial aid application process, and provides suggestions for how state-level policy might address each barrier. A final section on "other" barriers to college entry seeks to alert policymakers to emerging issues for which adequate institutional, state and federal policy responses are needed. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, November 2008)...

Ensuring Successful Student Transitions from the Middle Grades to High School MS Word PDF - The 9th grade year is critical to students’ success in high school. This ECS PolicyBrief looks at research on the 9th-grade transition, some expert recommendations and examples of relevant policies in place in the states. (Kathy Christie and Kyle Zinth, Education Commission of the States, November 2008)...

Landmines P-16/P-20 Councils Encounter — and How They Can Be Addressed (or Avoided Altogether) PDF - Building upon the findings of the ECS database on P-16 and P-20 councils, and experience in the states, this policy brief sets forth the numerous challenges that can foil the best-laid plans of P-16 and P-20 councils, and suggests how they can be addressed or avoided altogether. These "landmines" lie in four areas: Actors, Agenda, Appropriation of Resources and Political Climate. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, November 2008)...

Improving Outcomes for Traditionally Underserved Students Through Early College High Schools PDF - Early college high schools allow students, five years after entering high school, to complete an associate’s degree, technical certification, or earn enough college credit to enter a four-year postsecondary institution as a junior. While early colleges in many states seek waivers from state requirements to meet the specifications such programs require, a small number of states have enacted integrated state-level policies to provide programs with the specialized funding and parameters they require. This Policy Brief [do we italicize and/or capitalize this], building upon the state policy research in the ECS database on early/middle college high schools, defines early college high schools, clarifies how they differ from traditional dual enrollment programs, provides the most recent research on positive impact on academic outcomes for traditionally underserved students who participate in such programs, and sets forth the model state policy components that undergird quality programs. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, October 2008)...

Improving the Skills and Knowledge of the High School Teachers We Already Have PDF - While numerous state efforts seek to recruit, train and retain more teachers, fewer initiatives focus on developing teachers, particlarly high school teachers, once they enter the classroom. This policy brief examines seven high-leverage components to strengthen teacher professional development at the high school level and provides state policy suggestions for each. (Jennifer Dounay and Kathy Christie, Education Commission of the States, October 2008)...

High School Remediation PDF - Measured purely in monetary terms, the costs of providing remediation at the high school level can seem high, but the costs of not providing adequate and timely remediation are even higher. This ECS Policy Brief provides the elements of effective remediation policies and examples of what some states are trying to do to meet the demands of preparing students for college and careers. (Kyle Zinth and Melodye Bush, Education Commission of the States, October 2008)
...

Adolescent Literacy PDF - Traditionally reading is taught in the primary grades. However, a growing awareness of the need to address the reading skills of adolescents has resulted in states incorporating literacy instruction in their secondary-level teacher preparation and certification requirements, modifying and aligning curriculum standards, and establishing state policies to guide change. (Melodye Bush, Education Commission of the States, September 2008)...

Virtual High Schools MS Word PDF - Statewide virtual high schools are state-led programs created by state legislatures or state-level departmental agencies, and most commonly administered by a state’s education department. This ECS StateNote provides 50-state information on policies related to student curriculum and access, teaching quality and program quality/accountability. (Melodye Bush, Education Commission of the States, August 2008)...

Beyond the GED: State Strategies to Help Former Dropouts Earn a High School Diploma MS Word PDF - Seventy-four percent of the high school dropouts age 16-25 report that, if they could do it all over again, they would have stayed in school. This ECS Policy Brief provides information on various state policy components that can facilitate former dropouts’ ability to earn a high school diploma. The brief also addresses finance elements state policymakers must consider when developing new education options. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, August 2008)...

Strengthening Parents’ Ability to Provide the Guidance and Support That Matter Most in High School MS Word PDF - The higher the expectations of parents, the steadier their guidance and support, and the greater their sense of partnership with teachers and other staff, the better their child’s chances of academic success. This ECS Policy Brief reviews: (1) Research on the types of parental involvement that positively impact high school students; (2) State and local policies and practices that reflect and reinforce a commitment to parental involvement; and (3) The parental involvement component of No Child Left Behind. (Tim Taylor and Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, August 2008)...

Dispelling the Myths About the Negative Effects of Raising High School Graduation Requirements MS Word PDF - In the last several years, a number of states have raised high school graduation requirements, particularly in mathematics and science. The negative impacts of raising high school graduation requirements are often raised by well-intentioned individuals as counterarguments to discussions in favor of raising students’ course requirements; however these counterarguments are often based on misperceptions, or "myths." This policy brief presents the potential consequences commonly raised by critics of increased high school graduation requirements. Each "myth" is followed by relevant research and/or experience, as well as guiding principles for best policy in establishing more challenging curricular expectations for all students. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, August 2008)...

High School Agenda: Who’s Doing What MS Word PDF - This document provides information on the projects, initiatives and products of ECS and other national education and policy organizations on the subject of high school improvement. It is designed to direct policymakers to various groups and resources that might be useful in developing and implementing effective high school policy, and highlight important resources for anyone concerned with improving high schools. This May 2008 document reflects high school-focused reports published since spring 2005 and updates the May 2005 version of this document. (Michael Colasanti, Education Commission of the States, May 2008)...

The Progress of Education Reform: Counseling PDF - This issue of Progress of Education Reform takes a closer look at research related to:

The variation in access of college counseling across schools and the impact of schools, districts, postsecondary institutions and states on the availability and type of college counseling

The types of information traditionally underserved students need to prepare for postsecondary education

The varying types of guidance students receive based on their academic pathway or ethnic background.

The State Role in Accelerating Student Growth in Low-Performing High Schools MS Word PDF - The goal of state intervention in a school or district designated as low-performing is not to punish. It is to help figure out how to improve student learning. The challenge, particularly for a chief state school officer or state board of education, is how best to leverage assistance to schools that have varying degrees of need. This ECS Policy Brief examines what has been learned from research and looks at the subsequent implications for state policy. It also makes suggestions for specific actions and provides examples of approaches that states have taken to amend governance and organizational structures, improve instructional conditions and increase instructional capacity. (Kathy Christie, Education Commission of the States, June 2007)...

What Policymakers Need to Know About the Cost of Implementing Lab-Based Science Course Requirements MS Word PDF - An increasing number of states have required that some – or all – Carnegie units in science for high school graduation be fulfilled by lab sciences. This ECS Policy Brief examines the research that supports implementing lab science requirements for high school graduation; the number of states requiring science lab credits for high school graduation; the costs associated with fitting schools with science labs – in terms of capital, equipment, operations, maintenance and other needs; and the alternatives to traditional labs and their respective benefits and disadvantages in terms of cost, space, teaching staff needs and student learning. (Mike Griffith, Education Commission of the States, June 2007)...

Helping Equip Teachers to Answer Students' Questions on College Knowledge MS Word PDF - While a majority of both honors and non-honors track high school students in Stanford University's Bridge Project sample reported speaking with a teacher at least once about college admissions requirements, teachers reported receiving very little, if any, information to answer their students' questions. This ECS Policy Brief examines the findings of the Bridge Project's research on students' questions to teachers on "college knowledge," teachers' responses to these questions, and state policies that would better equip teachers to provide students with accurate information on college policies. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, April 2007)...

Advanced Placement Database - This database provides 50-state information on the following: (1) states that require all high schools to offer AP courses; (2) states that provide financial incentives for AP courses; (3) states that provide accountability incentives for AP courses; (4) state programs and funding for teacher training; (5) subsidies for testing fees; (6) states that provide scholarship incentives for achieving certain scores; (7) collaboration on AP between K-12 and higher education systems; (8) state support for encouraging access to AP; and (9) states that require students to take the AP exam to receive course credit. This database will be updated as new policies are enacted or amended. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, August 2006)...

Science and Math Graduation Requirements: Classes of 2006 through 2011 - Many states are increasing the number of mathematics or science units a student must complete to earn a high school diploma. These two documents provide an overview of the trend through the class of 2011 in mathematics and science. (Kyle Zinth, Education Commission of the States, Updated August 2006)...

50-State View of High School Graduation Requirements in Mathematics and Science MS Word PDF - This document provides readers with a 50-state view of high school graduation requirements in mathematics and science. (Kyle Zinth and Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, April 2006)...

Dual Enrollment: Policy Issues Confronting State Policymakers MS Word PDF - A growing number of policymakers in the states see dual enrollment as a way to increase college access and success. This policy brief provides background information about dual enrollment and summarizes the research surrounding the issue. Examples of state dual enrollment programs and a list of policy considerations are also included. (Carl Krueger, Education Commission of the States, March 2006)...

Advanced Placement MS Word PDF - The Advanced Placement (AP) program has seen exponential growth in recent years. This ECS Policy Brief examines some of the reasons for this expansion, including the benefits students gain by taking AP courses and exams, the AP audit process, the pre-AP program and perhaps most importantly, the essential components of a comprehensive state AP policy and how these components take shape in Arkansas policy – the state furthest along in addressing each element of the comprehensive policy. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, February 2006)...

Additional Coursework Options and Requirements - This database provides 50-state information on state policies related to (1) requiring all students to have an individual graduation plan; (2) early graduation; (3) proficiency-based credit; (4) requiring all students to declare a major or career pathway. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, January 2006)...

College-Ready Standards - This database provides 50-state information on state policies requiring all students to (1) complete a college/employer-recommended curriculum and (2) take the ACT or SAT. The database also includes disaggregated college-readiness data from the Manhattan Institute. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, January 2006)...

Ensuring Rigor in the High School Curriculum: What States Are Doing MS Word PDF - While increasing the number of courses required for high school graduation – and requiring students to complete specific courses – is a good first step toward preparing students for the world after high school, it is equally important for states to ensure that high school course content is adequately challenging. This policy brief identifies several policy options – and provides examples of state action for each – for ensuring rigor in the high school curriculum. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, January 2006)...

Seven Lessons Learned from Minimum Competency Testing MS Word - Classic minimum competency testing (MCT) burst onto the state education scene with great excitement in the mid-1970s. An education reform mandated by noneducators, it was based on the notion that a minimum level of achievement should be established for the basic skills, and that all students should be expected to attain this level of competency to move through school and graduate. (Chris Pipho, Education Commission of the States, 2002)...